Electrical plug outlet plate having plug support



' July 18,1967

J. A. LUCCI 3,331,915

ELECTRICALPLUG OUTLET PLATE HAVING PLUG SUPPORT Filed May 17, 1966 IN VEN TOR. (/dJZ'Pfi/ZAUCC/ United States Patent O 3,331,915 ELECTRICAL PLUG OUTLET PLATE HAVING PLUG SUPPORT Joseph A. Lucci, 3833 Beresford St., San Mateo, Calif. 94403 Filed May 17, 1966, Ser. No. 550,833 2 Claims. (Cl. 174-66) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical plug outlet cover plate mountable over an outlet receptacle so as to expose female members of the latter so as to receive cord plugs, the plate having at least one holder defining an open-top pocket for receiving a prong of a cord plug when the latter is disconnected from the receptacle.

This invention relates generally to electric plug receptacle accessories, and more particularly to cover plates therefor. I

It is generally well known to most persons that when a male plug of an electric cord is disengaged from a wall socket receptacle, the cord end with the plug is simply dropped upon the floor when not in use. Thus when a persons afterwards wishes to re-engage the plug within the receptacle, he must first take time out to locate the plug upon the floor. This practice has an additional objectionable feature in view that the plug may be stepped upon and accordingly broken.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an electrical plug outlet plate having self-contained means for retaining a cord plug when in an inoperative use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical plug outlet plate having self-contained means for retaining a plurality of electric cord plugs in an inoperative position at one time.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical plug outlet plate having plugged retaining means which do not in any way interfere with the normal engagement of a plug int-o the receptacle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical plug outlet plate wherein the retaining means or the plugs are integrally forms out of the plate.

Other objects are to provide an electrical plugged outlet plate which is simply designed, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken under line 22 of FIGURE 1 and showing the device in operative use.

Referring to the drawing in detail the numeral represents an electric plug outlet plate according to the present invention wherein there is a receptacle cover plate 11 which is of generally rectangular configuration, having a flat outer wall 12 and a flat inner wall 13 which are bounded by parallel longitudinal sides 14 and parallel lateral sides 15. As is more clearly shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing the edges of the plate may be bent so 3,331,915 Patented July 18, 1967 that the cover plate is slightly dished in a forwardly direction.

The cover plate 11 is provided with a central opening 16 for receiving a screw 17 thereto for securement of the plate to a receptacle outlet box 18. One or more enlarged openings 19 are provided through the cover plate for purpose of insertion therein of the forward ends of the female members 20 of the receptacle 18.

The pair of plug holders 21 are integrally formed upon the cover plate for purpose of temporarily retaining a plug 22 when it is in an inoperative position. Each of the holders comprises a forwardly extending pocket upon the cover plate having a pair of triangular sidewalls 22', an interconnecting inclined front wall 23, the walls at their upper edges bounding an opening 24 into which one of the prongs 25 of the plug 22 may be inserted as shown in FIGURE 2.

Whether the cover plate be made of metal or molded plastic it is readily evident that the holders 21 may be integrally formed during the molding 0r stamping operation so that the same may be inexpensively included in the manufacture.

In operative use when a person disengages the plug 22 from the female member 20 of the receptacle 18 he then simply takes the plug and drops one of the prongs 25 thereof into the pocket formed by the holder 21. Thus the plug is always handy and may be readily available without hunting for the same when it is desired that the plug be again re-engaged within the receptacle.

Thus there has been provided a relatively simple and novel cover plate that will eliminate the necessity of an electric cord plug from lying upon the floor where it may be dam-aged by being stepped upon and where it is relatively more difficult to locate.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and the scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

What I claim:

1. An electric plug outlet cover plate, said cover plate having means for securement thereof to a wall electrical outlet, said cover plate having means to receive the ends of the female members of an electric outlet receptacle therethrough, and said cover plate havingself-contained means for retaining an electric cord plug when in an inoperative position, comprising at least one holder defining a pocket integrally formed upon said cover plate, said pocket having a forwardly extending element upon the front side of said cover plate and said pocket having an opening at its upper end for receiving therein a prong of said electric cord plug.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pocket comprises a pair of forwardly extending sidewalls, said sidewalls being of triangular configuration, and an upwardly inclined interconnecting front wall between said sidewalls, the upper edges of said sidewalls and said front wall forming and defining the said opening of said pocket.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1930 Germany. 2/ 1937 Switzerland. 

1. AN ELECTRIC PLUG OUTLET COVER PLATE, SAID COVER PLATE HAVING MEANS FOR SECUREMENT THEREOF TO A WALL ELECTRICAL OUTLET, SAID COVER PLATE HAVING MEANS TO RECEIVE THE ENDS OF THE FEMALE MEMBERS OF AN ELECTRIC OUTLET RECEPTACLE THERETHROUGH, AND SAID COVER PLATE HAVING SELF-CONTAINED MEANS FOR RETAINING AN ELECTRIC CORD PLUG WHEN IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE HOLDER DEFINING A POCKET INTEGRALLY FORMED UPON SAID COVER PLATE, SAID POCKET HAVING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING ELEMENT UPON THE FRONT SIDE OF SAID COVER PLATE AND SAID POCKET HAVING AN OPENING AT ITS UPPER END FOR RECEIVING THEREIN A PRONG OF SAID ELECTRIC CORD PLUG. 